"She Eats Too Much": Chinese Man Drags Fiancee To Court To Recover Dating Costs

What began as a private dispute between an engaged couple in China quickly turned into a widely discussed court case, drawing strong reactions online. A man was criticised on social media after he sued his fiancee, asking her to return money he claimed to have spent on her because he felt she ate too much and did not work hard enough, reported the South China Morning Post.

This court case involving a couple who were previously in a relationship has been widely discussed on social media since it surfaced in Chinese media on December 9th. According to Zhonglan News, a man surnamed He filed a lawsuit against his fiancee, Wang, after the relationship ended.

He demanded that Wang return the 20,000 yuan bride price paid by her family. He also requested the return of 30,000 yuan that he claimed he spent on Wang during their relationship. This expenditure included personal items such as black tights and underwear.

He and Wang are residents of the same village in northeastern China's Heilongjiang Province. They met through a matchmaker and later got engaged. They then moved to northern China's Hebei Province, where they worked at a malatang restaurant owned by He's family. Malatang is a popular Chinese street food consisting of meat, vegetables, and noodles cooked in a spicy broth. Wang helped run the restaurant for about six months.

Over time, He grew unhappy with Wang. He told Heilongjiang TV that Wang only performed menial tasks at the restaurant and ate malatang daily. He claimed that the food for sale wasn't enough to satisfy her hunger.

He also said that her family began to feel Wang's behaviour had changed. To support his claim, he presented a list of items he had purchased for Wang in court.

In court, Wang denied all the allegations. He said he was overly calculating with money and reminded her that she was his girlfriend. Wang also questioned whether He had received any benefit from the items he had purchased for her.

After hearing arguments from both parties, the court rejected He's demand for a refund of 30,000 yuan spent during their relationship. The court stated that the amount was spent on personal items that held sentimental value for both. However, in the bride price case, the court ordered Wang to return half of the 20,000 yuan.

Both He and Wang accepted the court's decision and expressed satisfaction with the outcome. Bride price is a traditional custom in China in which the groom's family gives money to the bride's family before the wedding as a symbol of respect and acceptance.